1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to brackets for mounting tile such as wall tile, to vertical and horizontal frame members and in particular to a bracket system having projections that can be embedded in the side and bottom edges of a tile for attachment to the tile without the use of screws, adhesives, or other mechanical fastening devices. The brackets, or clips, have projections thereon that enable them, and the tile to which they are affixed, to be attached to vertical and horizontal frame members.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are a multitude of various brackets for attaching wall tile to frame members. Most of these brackets use screws, adhesives, or other mechanical fastening devices to attach the bracket to the wall tile. Such representative brackets are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,245,448; 4,281,494; 4,333,286; 4,377,060; 4,448,007; 4,467,578; 4,467,579; 4,471,593; 4,719,730; 4,866,904; 4,995,215; 5,058,354; 5,058,355; 5,107,651; 5,408,796; and 5,590,502.
In an effort to provide “steel free” tile that performed as good or better than the existing tiles in terms of fire rating and sound rating, it was found that fiberglass met all the design criteria. However, the fiberglass material does not have the same mechanical properties as most other substrates due to the glass strands forming the composition of the material. Thus, using screws, adhesives with low adhesion, or other mechanical fastening devices will not properly and securely attach the mounting brackets to the tile.
The present invention provides side edge and bottom edge mounting brackets that mount tile on horizontal and vertical frame supports and does not require the use of hot melt adhesives, screws, or other mechanical devices to fasten them to the tile and that perform the function of supporting the tile.